By-election: Gunmen attack APC candidate in Kwara

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the November 17 by-election for the Irepodun/Isin/Oke-ero Federal Constituency, Mr Raheem Olawuyi, has been attacked by gunmen at Idofin Igbana.

Olawuyi’s Personal Assistant on Media, Mr Femi David, said in a statement on Thursday that Olawuyi was attacked as he left Ekan ward for Idofin Igbana during a campaign tour of Oke-ero Local Government Area.

According to David, the campaign team was led by some members of the APC state executives and party leaders.

He said the assailants laid ambush at the entrance to the town where they shot at Mr Olawuyi at close range.

According to him, the back screen of Olawuyi’s Sports Utility Vehicle (Lexus jeep) was shattered during the attack.

David said Olawuyi, his driver and two other party leaders in the vehicle escaped unhurt.

He said members and supporters of the party expressed shock over the damage to the vehicle but expressed gratitude to God for saving the lives of the occupants of the vehicle, describing the attack as barbaric and crude and called for full investigation, arrest, prosecution and punishment for the perpetrators.

David further said the community vigilance members mobilised and combed the areas in a bid to apprehend the assailants.

He stated that Olawuyi later addressed his supporters at Idofin Igbana and appealed to them to remain undaunted and undeterred in their quest to free themselves from “slave master.”

David stated that the Abadofin of Idofin Igbana, Chief Michael Olaoye, later led the APC team to the palace of Oni Idofin of Igbana, Oba Samuel Ifabiyi, to inform him of the attack.

Meanwhile, less than thirty 36 hours to the House of Representatives by-election in the state, the All Progressives Congress on Thursday alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party had been distributing uncollected permanent voter cards to cronies in Ilorin, the state capital.

The APC alleged that the cards would be used during the by-election on Saturday in favour of the PDP.

The opposition party in the state urged the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state to order an “investigation into this devious plan of the PDP.”

But INEC dismissed the allegation as a ruse, saying it was not possible to use any card belonging to another person to vote in an election.

INEC spokesperson in Kwara State, Mr Jacob Ayanda, told our correspondent on Thursday that the alleged distribution of unclaimed PVCs was not possible because all the unclaimed cards were in the custody of INEC and could not be in the possession of politicians.

Ayanda disclosed that over 250,000 PVCs had not been collected in the state.

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